Key Concepts in U.S. Political Systems and Elections

Realignment

Significant and lasting shift in the political landscape, particularly in the party system, where the alignment of voters and parties changes dramatically.

Dealignment

Trend or process whereby a large portion of the electorate abandons its previous partisan affiliation, without developing a new one to replace it.

Ticket splitting

In a single election, citizens vote for candidates of opposing political parties.

Straight ticket

Practice where a voter selects candidates from the same political party for all offices on the ballot.

Closed primary

Type of electoral process in which only registered members of a political party can participate in selecting that party's candidates for the general election.

Open primary

Type of primary election where voters are not required to be registered with a specific political party to participate in that party's primary.

Semi-open primary

Variation of the open primary where some restrictions may apply.

Semi-closed primary

Variation of the closed primary allowing some non-party members to participate.

Pledged delegate

Individuals chosen at party primaries and caucuses who are committed to supporting a specific candidate at the party's national convention.

Unpledged delegate

A delegate to a political party's presidential nominating convention who is free to support any presidential candidate of their choosing.

Super delegates

Party leaders and elected officials in the Democratic Party who are given the freedom to support any candidate for the presidential nomination, regardless of the primary election results.

PACs

Organizations that raise and spend money to elect or defeat political candidates, primarily at the federal and state levels.

Super PAC

Type of PAC that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from individuals, corporations, and unions, but cannot directly coordinate with candidates or parties.

527

A tax exempt organization that promotes a political agenda, not regulated by the FEC.

501

Nonprofit group that may legally address political matters but may not lobby or campaign; donations to it are tax deductible.

Plurality

Electoral system in which the candidate who receives the most votes wins, regardless of whether they have obtained an absolute majority.

Proportional systems

Electoral system where parties gain seats in the legislature in direct proportion to the number of votes they receive.

Purpose of the national convention

Held to nominate candidates for the presidency and vice presidency, as well as to establish party platforms and unify party members ahead of an election.

Primary

Preliminary election in which voters select candidates to run for office in the general election.

Caucus

Meeting of members of a political party to discuss and select candidates for elections, often involving discussions and debates among participants.

Super Tuesday

Event with 13 primaries where 36% of delegates are up for grabs.

Party platform

Formal set of principles and goals that outlines the party's stance on various issues, serving as a guiding framework for its policies and strategies.

Planks

Declarations that speak to each specific issue within a party's platform.

Grassroots

Method of mobilizing individuals at the local level to participate in political activism and influence change from the ground up.

Astroturf

Practice of creating an impression of widespread grassroots support for a product, policy, or point of view, when in reality the effort is initiated and/or funded by a concealed organization or individual with a vested interest.

Electioneering

The activities that politicians and their supporters carry out in order to persuade people to vote for them or their political party in an election, for example making speeches and visiting voters.

Soft Money

Contributions made to political parties for purposes other than supporting a specific candidate, often used for party-building activities, typically not subject to the same regulations and limits as hard money.

Hard Money

Political donations that are regulated by law, specifically by the Federal Election Commission (FEC), and can only be used for specific purposes related to campaign financing.

Electoral College

Unique system established in the U.S. Constitution for electing the President and Vice President, consisting of 538 electors who represent the states.

Primary Season

Preliminary election in which voters select candidates to run for office in the general election, influencing party dynamics and voter engagement leading up to the general elections.

Third Parties

Political parties that rarely win elections in the United States but frequently influence national politics by drawing attention to issues previously neglected by the major parties.

Roles of the Media

Watchdog, Scorekeeper, gatekeeper, agenda setting.

Political Parties

Organizations that develop platforms, fundraise, select and run candidates, and set primary election schedules.

Elections

Processes such as Caucuses, Primaries, Swing States, and National Convention where parties nominate candidates for presidency and vice presidency.

Interest Groups

Organizations that attempt to influence policy through lobbying, providing information, funding candidates, and other means.

Agenda Setting

Process by which media and political actors influence the importance placed on issues in the public agenda.

Magic Number (Electoral College)

270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.

General Election

The final election in which voters select their preferred candidates from those nominated in the primary elections to fill public offices.

Campaign Finance Reform

Attempts to regulate the financing of political campaigns, including laws such as FECA, FEC, Buckley vs. Valeo, Citizens United vs. FEC, and BCRA/McCain-Feingold.

Issue Ad

Promoting a particular position or an issue by interest groups or individuals but not candidates.

Issue Advocacy

Efforts made by individuals or groups to promote a specific cause or policy issue without directly supporting or opposing a particular candidate.

Amicus Curiae

Legal documents filed in court cases by non-parties, often organizations or individuals, who have a strong interest in the case's outcome.

Free Rider

When individuals benefit from a resource, good, or service without paying for it, creating an imbalance in contributions towards collective efforts.

Rational Choice Voting

Voting on what you believe is in your best interests.

Retrospective Voting

Voting based on the assessment of the incumbent.

Party-Line Voting

Voting for whatever party matches your affiliation.

Prospective Voting

Voting for a person who will enact policies that favor the voter in the future.

News Media

Term that includes newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and sources that cover the news.

Social Media

Electronic communication that enables users to create and share content.

Agenda Setting

The media's ability to highlight certain issues and bring them to attention.

Mass Media

Sources of information designed to reach a wide audience.

Wire Service

Organizations that gather news stories and sell them to news outlets.

Investigative Journalism

Newsgathering where reporters dig into stories often trying to find wrongdoing.

Broadcast Media

News that brings stories directly to people's homes.

Media Consolidation

The concentration of ownership of the media into few corporations.

Partisan-Bias

Slanting of political news coverage that supports a political party or ideology.

Horse-Race Journalism

Coverage of political campaigns that focus more on campaign drama than on the issues.

Electoral College

Constitutional basis is in Article 2 Section 1, where the president can't be popularly elected, elected by Congress, and each elector has 2 votes.

12th Amendment

Fixed the tie of 1800; each elector must cast a distinct vote for president and VP.

Faithless Electors

Electors who do not vote with the population unless a state law is in place.

Lobbyist's Playbook

Strategies used by lobbyists to influence politicians, including offering gifts and crafting confusing language in bills.

Front Loading

The moving up of dates of presidential primaries and caucuses, preferably before Super Tuesday.

FCC

Federal Communications Commission, an independent regulatory agency responsible for regulating communications by various means.

527

Tax-exempt groups formed primarily to influence the selection, nomination, election, or appointment of candidates to public office.

Winner-Take-All

Electoral process where the candidate who receives the most votes in a state wins all of that state's electoral votes.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and political activist involved in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes.

Consumer Advocate

Efforts and initiatives that work to protect the rights and interests of consumers in the marketplace.